The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

the remembrance of the which day, and of the judgement to be executed in the same, is not only to us a Bridle, whereby our carnal lusts are reserved, but also such inestimable comfort, that neither may the threatening of worldly Princes, neither yet the fear of temporal death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake that blessed society, which we the members have with our Head and only Mediator Christ Jesus; whom we confess and avow to be the Messiah promised, the only Head of the Church, our just Lawgiver, our only High Priest, Advocate and Mediator. In whose honours and Offices, if a man or Angel presume to intrude themselves, we utterly detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our Sovereign Governor Christ Jesus. XII. Faith in the Holy Ghost. This our faith,¹ and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and blood; that is to say, from no natural powers within us, but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, whom we confess, God equal with the Father, and with the Son, who sanctified us, and bringeth us into all verity by his own operation, without whom we should remain for ever enemies to God, and ignorant of his Son Christ Jesus. For of nature we are so dead, so perverse and blind, that ⟨p. 262⟩neither we can feel when we were pricked, see the light when it shineth, nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed, only the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quickeneth that which is dead,² removeth the darkness from our minds, and boweth our stubborn hearts to the obedience of his blessed will, and so as we confess that God the Father created us when we were not, as his Son our Lord Jesus redeemed us, when we were enemies to him; So also we confess that the Holy Ghost doth sanctify, and regenerate us without all respect of any merit proceeding from us, be it before, or be it after our regeneration. To speak this one thing yet in more plain words, as we willingly spoil our selves of all honour and glory of our own Creation and Redemption, so do we also of our regeneration and sanctification; for of selves we are not sufficient to think one good thought, but he who hath begun the good work in us, is only he that continueth us in the same, to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace. XIII. The cause of good works.

the remembrance of the which day, and of the judgement to be executed in the same, is not onely to us a Bridle, whereby our carnall lusts are reserved, but also such inestimable comfort, that neither may the threatning of worldly Princes, neither yet the feare of temporall death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake that blessed societie, which we the members have with our Head and onely Mediatour Christ Jesus; whom we confesse and avow to be the Messias promised, the onely Head of the Church, our just Lawgiver, our onely High Priest, Advocate and Mediator. In whose honours and Offices, if a man or Angell presume to intrude themselves, we utterly detest and abhorre them, as blasphemous to our Soveraigne Governour Christ Jesus. XII. Faith in the Holy Ghost. THis our faith,